Upgrading from 32-bit to 64-bit on X201S?

So I'm feeling a bit stupid. I just received my new X201S, with 4GB of RAM. But I also just discovered that my machine has Windows 7 32-bit installed. Totally my fault, I should have checked that when ordering the laptop. But now I'm wondering -- what's the easiest way for me to change that 32-bit installation to a 64-bit version? The 64-bit version wouldn't by any chance be located somewhere on my hard disk, would it? Or will I have to buy a completely new Windows 7 copy?

 

A 64 bit copy of Windows does not reside on your hard drive. You shouldn't need another copy of Windows. Your key should work for both 32 and 64 bit, but you'll need a Windows disc to upgrade it.

 

You can get a set of 64-bit factory recovery disks:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-74752

 

There is no x86 to x64 upgrade option—meaning you cannot install x64 Windows over x86. You will need to do a clean install.

 

Rep.
you need a new install, you will loose your current files and settings. contact lenovo and let them know 32 -bit does not work for your institution/work/whatever, and they will usually send out a new set of disks for free.

 

Related question (though my machine is not the X201):

I got my R400 without any OS and had to buy the OEM version of Win 7 Pro (32-bit) from the Lenovo seller, which was installed by the Lenovo people. I also have 4GB of RAM and its just being wasted. I also want to move to 64-bit, does this mean I have to buy another Win7 Pro disk and fresh install? How would I go about doing this? Any help/ suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

The Thinkpad that shipped with no OS license, are not allowed to install the Lenovo OEM version of Microsoft OS, nor are the Lenovo resellers allowed to sell you those discs. Basically what your resellers did was illegal.

 

That is very odd because all computer shops in India do this. Most are sold without an OS and you have to buy the OS separately. When I took my machine down to the ThinkPad Center here, they wanted to see the receipt of the computer (as proof of sale) and the receipt of the OS (to establish that it is original), which they did and they did not mention anything. The box in which I got the OS says the following:

"OEM System Builder Pack; Intended for system builders ONLY. This product is licensed for distribution in INDIA ONLY."

Then it goes on to say, "Each individual software license inside this package may ONLY be distributed with a fully assembled computer system and must be preinstalled on the hard drive using the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK)."

I also have a receipt of the sale which I was advised to keep along with my receipt for the machine.

The OS was also activated and validated by the seller before it was handed over to me.

So, I have no idea what you are referring to!

EDIT: Thinking about it now, I don't actually know what you mean by Reseller. The shop I bought my machine from is a Lenovo Shop who only sell Lenovo equipment.

EDIT: One other point. You mention a LENOVO OEM VERSION of the OS. What does this mean?

EDIT: Also, I just checked under Control Panel>SYSTEM. It shows that the OS is activated. It also has the Product ID information beside which there is a link which says: Change Product Key. I am assuming that if I click on that then I can put in the product key of another OS disk that I could buy from, say, Amazon or someplace like that. So, finally the question (which by now has nothing to do with the OP's question and my sub-question unfortunately) stands as follows: (1) Is or is not the version of the OS on my machine legal (note it is activated, and validated)? and (2) If I want to switch to 64-bits what do I do? Do I have to buy another Win7 Pro disk OR can I do a fresh install using the same disk that I got with the machine?

 

@lines of flight. The OEM OS the shop sold you was already automatically activated by a volume license key, so they don't have to individually activated like you do with the aftermarket OS.

It can be installed as many times as you like on thinkpads of the same generation, i.e. T400, T500, etc.

Did they give you the Proof of License/Certificate of Authenticity stickers, when they installed the OS for you?

 

Yes. It is stuck on the underside of my machine.

 

What you need to do is find a downloadable ISO of the Win 7 Pro 64 and you can re-use the license that you already have.

 

@elixiash: Thanks. This is good to know. I'll look for one. Also, hopefully, lead_org will confirm that my installed OS was not illegally sold to me with my machine!

 

Np bro. There is a blurry line in regards to OEM OS but there are many licensed OEM builders, distro who does sell OEM OS/Softwares and I dont think its an issue as long there is a COA sticker and the serials are not installed in other systems simultaneosly.

 

Thanks. Yes, as I posted earlier, the COA sticker is placed on the underside of the machine. The package containing the Win 7 Pro was opened in front of me and the OS installed. So, the serials were not used elsewhere. As I said, this is very common in India.

Usually, what happens is that the company shops (Lenovo, Acer etc) sell machines without the OS and the buyers then install cracked versions of the OS independently. As an aside, when I was in the ThinkPad Center, I saw the outcome of what happens when buyers do stuff like this. One guy came in with his R series machine (I don't exactly remember which type it was). It had some software issues. One of the first things the tech guy did was to flip the machine over to see if the COA was there. It wasn't! He refused to deal with the machine. The guy was raving and stormin' but to no avail. He claimed that the sticker came off and he forgot where and when it happened etc. You could tell from a mile away that he was lying!!! Then the manager showed up and explained that they cannot do anything to the machine till the buyer could prove that the OS was legal. Though in front of the manager and the tech guy the buyer claimed that the OS was legal, but when I met him outside, he admitted that it was not!!! He told me - "you know how it is, Windows is soooo expensive and it does not make sense". I told him, sympathetically of course, that under some conditions, it does make sense! I know what he is going to do next. He is going to go to some hole-in-the-wall outfit who will ask no questions and will get the problem fixed.

Since I don't go down that road, I bought the OS. I could also have bought the retail version, though that is a lot more expensive than the OEM version.

Anyways, thanks again for the tip on the downloadable ISO, which I will hunt for.